Bingo is one of the most historic and interesting pastimes on the planet. It’s a British institution and has been welcoming generations of players to the live bingo halls and online rooms for decades.

During that time there have been a wide range of fun facts and hidden gems picked up, as the game developed and became what we know and love today.

Below you’ll find some incredible facts about your favourite bingo games, perfect for wowing your friends in the chat rooms and bingo halls across the country.

Bingo Facts To Impress Your Friends

A Game Dating Back 500 Years

Bingo is a game that dates back to the 1530s when the Giuoco del Lotto D’Italia was founded in Italy. The game spread like wildfire across Europe over the next few hundred years before developing into the game we know and love today.

Bigger Than Football?

They may call football the beautiful game, but did you know that more money is spent on bingo tickets each year than footballing events combined.

US vs UK

Bingo cards in the USA are different to those in the UK, with different layouts that can be confusing. Ensure if you’re going across the pond to enjoy a game of bingo, make sure you check out the key differences first.

Lucky Margarets

Studies have found that Margaret is the most common winning name in bingo. Of course, we’re not saying it pays to be called Margaret, but it certainly looks as though it helps!

A Younger Audience

Online bingo and games such as slingo bingo has helped welcome a new breed of player. While the stereotype may be that bingo attracts an older audience, the average age of bingo player online is actually under 35!

Gone in 360 Seconds

The average bingo game lasts between three and six minutes, meaning you have to be on your toes when those numbers are called out!

Bingo!

There are different calls for a full card around the world. Here in the UK we shout “bingo” or “house”, whereas in Australia players call “housie!” when they win the jackpot.

Beano!

At one stage we could have even been shouting “beano!”. Yes, Beano isn’t just a British comic, but also was the original name of bingo due to the fact players would mark off their numbers with beans.

That changed down the years, with the name bingo believed to have either come from New York entrepreneur Edwin S. Lowe or from British slang, in which bingo was originally recorded as a term used by customs officers to describe a successful search.

The Bingo Bug

Almost half of bingo players love to enjoy a game online of via mobile every day. 48% of those who are regulars play a game daily and integrate bingo as part of their daily routine.